SCR, Inc. (Louisville, KY) is developing a chronic implantable CPD system to treat HF patients who may be responsive to long-term counterpulsation support. The CPD has been developed for superficial implantation via a pacemaker incision without the need to enter the chest and enables complete patient mobility. The CPD is a 32-ml stroke volume polyurethane-lined blood chamber designed to fit comfortably in a subcutaneous pocket on the right anterior chest contralateral to an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or biventricular pacer device implantation site. The pumping chamber is connected to the systemic circulation by a short ePTFE graft anastomosed to the axillary artery. The CPD is controlled by a small, wearable pneumatic driver, connected by a percutaneous air line, and triggered by the patient's ECG. The CPD fills during native heart systole lowering ventricular workload, and ejects during diastole augmenting myocardial and end-organ perfusion. In the phase I study, the hemodynamic efficacy of the 32-ml CPD driver was equivalent to a standard commercially-available 40-ml IABP in a large animal model (n=12) over a range of physiologic conditions (hypotension, hypertenstion, and heart failure) demonstrating feasibility. In this phase II study, the development and testing of the CPD driver will be completed to support a future FDA submission. This objective will be accomplished by (1) completing engineering development, (2) demonstrating reliability and ergonomics, and (3) demonstrating long-term safety of the CPD driver. Results of a pivotal Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) study will be completed with a summary report prepared for submission to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to request approval for clinical trials. The program detailed here leverages the development work of SCR and the engineering and development teams at Abiomed (Danvers, MA). This partnership will be assisted and guided by an innovative group of physicians at Jewish Hospital (Louisville, KY) and a world class research team in the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute (CII) at the University of Louisville (UofL). Our long-term objective is to successfully introduce the CPD system into the clinic as a long-term counterpulsation therapy to treat late NYHA class III and early NYHA class IV HF patients and help restore their quality of life. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: SCR, Inc. (Louisville, KY) is developing a long-term counterpulsation device (CPD) to treat early stage heart failure patients. The CPD has been developed for superficial implantation without the need to enter the chest and a portable pneumatic driver that the patient can carry restores mobility.